Canonical opening up, what about Apple?
Storm, the Python-based ORM used by Launchpad, has been released under a free license. In a bug report comment, our benevolent dictator stated that “We are all actively working on making Launchpad open source.”. I hope that this is just the first step, and that we’ll see more components being re-licensed soon. I don’t understand how keeping Launchpad proprietary will make Canonical more money, but I’ve decided to trust their judgment and their business plan.
I’m not sure if I should trust Apple that much though. They have purchased CUPS, the printing system used in Ubuntu and many other unix-like systems. Apple has licensed CUPS for MacOS X for several years now, and many people have questions on the reasons for the buy-out. I’ve been wondering whether Apple has some fears around the freshly released GPLv3. Apple has manufactured printers in the past (I’m not sure if they still do), and they probably own a significant amount of patents regarding to printing.
I don’t have anything to base it on, but perhaps they anticipated CUPS being released under the GPLv3, which might have an affect on the value of their patents if they ship CUPS in MacOS. Buying out CUPS means that they can keep the software under the older license, which does not cover patents. Maybe, it’s nothing like that at all. Perhaps we’ll see CUPS getting even better, and be able to get great commercial support for CUPS directly from Apple. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
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[…] Read more at Jonathan Carter blog […]
FreeSoftNews » Blog Archive » Canonical opening up, what about Apple? - July 12th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
[…] La GPL3 non deve piacere ad Apple, che ha pensato bene di comprare un progetto opensource, promettendo di mantenere lo stato di fatto. Anzi, promettendo di non cambiare lo stato di fatto, che è diverso. Una lettura della vicenda simile alla mia, ma basata sulla difesa di brevetti Apple in materia di stampa, è quella che fa Jonathan Carter. […]
Apple compra CUPS… paura della GPLv3? « pollycoke :) - July 12th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Well, obviously, Launchpad can’t be open-sourced yet, as it’s goal is to be a central place for bug reports. If it’d be open-sourced and everyone would set up their own Launchpad server then bug reports would be scattered all over the intarwebz. First they’ll need to build something that lets all single Launchpad installations and other similar tools communicate with each other.
Vincent - July 12th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
After listening to the reasons why LP isn’t open source i think is better to not open it. But some part of it can be opened to help the community in some aspects.
Regarding to CUPS, I didn’t knew that Apple purchased it. Is not a good news for me, I don’t like Apple in what patents is concerned. Luckily CUPS is GPL so if something go wrong with Apple relicensing it (to a BSD license so they can close it and forget about the open version) and closing it we always can count with the community to follow the work.
Weeber - July 12th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Knowing Apple … they will keep CUPS as open as Possible!
Maybe … this will force big Corporations to make more standards complaint hardware. Remember CUPS used by Solaris/BSD/Linux/AIX etc.
Apple Loves Open Source … http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L475
… but I really think they want Printer Support on the iPhone
kmf - July 13th, 2007 at 9:20 am
@kmf: You don’t know Apple then… just look at this:
“In addition, as the copyright holder of CUPS, Apple Inc. grants the following special exceptions:
1. Apple Operating System Development License Exception;
1. Software that is developed by any person or entity for an Apple Operating System (”Apple OS-Developed Software”), including but not limited to Apple and third party printer drivers, filters, and backends for an Apple Operating System, that is linked to the CUPS imaging library or based on any sample filters or backends provided with CUPS shall not be considered to be a derivative work or collective work based on the CUPS program and is exempt from the mandatory source code release clauses of the GNU GPL. You may therefore distribute linked combinations of the CUPS imaging library with Apple OS-Developed Software without releasing the source code of the Apple OS-Developed Software. You may also use sample filters and backends provided with CUPS to develop Apple OS-Developed Software without releasing the source code of the Apple OS-Developed Software.
2. An Apple Operating System means any operating system software developed and/or marketed by Apple Computer, Inc., including but not limited to all existing releases and versions of Apple’s Darwin, Mac OS X, and Mac OS X Server products and all follow-on releases and future versions thereof.
3. This exception is only available for Apple OS-Developed Software and does not apply to software that is distributed for use on other operating systems.
4. All CUPS software that falls under this license exception have the following text at the top of each source file:
This file is subject to the Apple OS-Developed Software exception.
2. OpenSSL Toolkit License Exception;
1. Apple Inc. explicitly allows the compilation and distribution of the CUPS software with the OpenSSL Toolkit.
No developer is required to provide these exceptions in a derived work.”
Source: http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L179 I0 TFAQ M10 P1 Q
Weeber - July 14th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Apple have already got a deal with cups which allowed them to entirely circumvent the gpl by getting it under a commercial license. Redistributing the code once gpl3 comes out is exactly the same to them as when it was gpl2… they still don’t have to do a damn thing besides ponying up the cash.
12 dogs - July 14th, 2007 at 9:45 am